Apple can’t seem to make up its mind about the iPod Nano. The new model that Steve Jobs unveiled recently is the 6th generation version of the Nano, and it seems as though each new generation has undergone a fairly major redesign. In fact, I’ve seen something similar before in the 3rd generation ‘phat’ Nano, which also had a …

rhetorical

Video Playback

I might have bought this to replace my 3rd Gen Nano, but I actually *do* use the video playback when I'm on the road - I'm not sure I'd want to watch a movie on it, but for shorter bites, like a TV box-set, it does the job, so no sell!

Form over Function?

Who'd have thought it - Apple releasing something that looks cool but is functionally crippled. I've been the owner of various iPods for more years than I care to mention and have never thought beyond Apple for my music / video player needs. However, I think their current range is severely limited: If you want to play video on one now you need to be looking at the large capacity (but physically bulky) classic that seems to be entering its death throes based on the complete lack of airtime in the keynote, or the touch which is expensive in the higher capacity models.

I have found myself looking for alternatives for the first time in years, but of course the issue now is vendor lock in: I have over 500GB of legitimately purchased video from the iTunes store that is pretty much tied to Apple's offering unless I want to spend weeks with TuneBite.

That's why DRM is such a bad idea - once you have a significant investment in DRM'd content you are pretty much stuck for options on the hardware to play it...

Bad Idea?

Form over Function: Sockpuppet/Troll over Reality?

Surprising how most people who say they have these problem post as AC.

" I have over 500GB of legitimately purchased video from the iTunes store that is pretty much tied to Apple's offering unless I want to spend weeks with TuneBite.

That's why DRM is such a bad idea - once you have a significant investment in DRM'd content you are pretty much stuck for options on the hardware to play it..."

I am a bit of a Freetard myself, but you should be aware that "On 6 January 2009 Apple announced that they had reached an agreement with major record labels to sell all music on the iTunes Store free of DRM restrictions."

You do know that you can just copy the entire iTunes Music folder to anywhere you like? Songbird plays all of my purchased MPEG-4 Audio Files fine, that I have copied to a Debian server, and allows me to add whatever I like.

The nano always was limited in capacity ( currently 16GB) compared to the classic (160GB), but videoplayback was useful (if your eyesight was good enough)...

...and that's why...

I say this with all due respect . .

. . why did you buy an ipod in the first place?

I accept that it is probably the most popular portable music player in the world . . but why? I've never really understood the appeal . . I've never had the 'pleasure' of owning an ipod, however those that I have used have always been severely crippled devices . . clearly nothing changes . .

I'm certainly not trying to knock your decision to buy an ipod, its clearly a popular choice . . care to enlighten me on why you made that decision when there have always been better quality, cheaper and more compatible offerings on the market? was it just the 'cool' factor that lead you into your DRM induced predicament?

Why on earth

Re: Why on earth

> would you want to rotate the image on a square screen ?

I'm thinking the clip. If you have it clipped onto a shirt pocket the screen will be oriented a different way to, say, the lapel of a jacket. To make it easy to see what's playing, having the screen the right way up (or, maybe, upside down) would be handy. But that's probably pushing the definition of handy.

No CoverFlow?

Best hardware update ever. I'm hoping they roll this into the Touch and iPhone - though the software orientation lock has made both a lot more usable. If there was also some way to disable shake to undo then we'd really be getting somewhere...

As for the Nano? It looks like a flop to me. I can't imagine the screen being sufficiently more helpful than no screen at that size and the Shuffle has its buttons back, making it once again usable. Even in your pocket, when you're not looking.

6th gen?

It's 6th...

There was hard-edged gumstick 1st nano, then rounded-edge gumstick 2nd nano, then phat nano, then ovally-rounded gumstick nano #1, then ovally-rounded gumstick nano #2 (can't recall the difference), then this one. I have 2G which I gave to the wife and am still using my 3G one for workouts. iPod Touch for all else.

I too, see the touch-nano as just a bit of overkill. Whilst I like the size and clip on, I just don't see touch as needed there. How's the display going to handle sweaty fingers? It'll be all smudged up to say the least.

Hits all the wrong notes

Been looking around for a replacement for my old 2g nano whose battery is getting tired and could do with some more space on it too (16-32gb for preference) This will not be it though, some extended testing with a friends Touch has quickly shown how pointless a touch screen interface is for use in a music player (I've got absolutely no interest in watching video while on the go) The touch is particularly badly named as the last thing you can do is work it by feel. Most of my listening is done while reading on the train, driving, walking or at the gym. The last thing I want to have to do while doing any of these things is have to break concentration to look for the track skip button nor am I really interested at looking at the album art while I'm at it.

Think I'll save some cash and get a Sansa Clip+ and a micro sd instead.

Capacity

Screen and battery life are good. The lack of expansion is poor. £159 for 16 Gb? That's sounds like a 2002 offering. You can't expand it and it's not quire big enough for a modest CD collection. For the kids only then - they have smaller music collections. Compare the Sansa clip+ with 24 Gb for about £65.

Form = Function

I don't get the outrage about the lack of video on a tiny screen.

The new Nano's function is to be a music player, designed to be as portable and forgettable as possible. For £30 more than the 16Gb Nano you can get an 8Gb iPod Touch, with a wildly better screen for video, plus you can add apps, web browsing, email, calendar, etc., etc.

Re: designed to be as portable and forgettable as possible

Thats what the *shuffle* is for. The *nano* used to sit in the 'smaller, cheaper iPod for people who don't need the big version' position. This new one would make a great 'shuffle with a screen for people who can afford it', but it doesn't fulfil its previous market position well at all (nor does anything in the current lineup). This is why people are grumbling.

No Video, no point

My youngest bought a previous generation Nano (we found a shop selling them at a sensible price rather than the normal rip off rate). One of the major things he uses it for is to video him and his mates. Quite a few of them also have the things and like wise use them to make daft vids. The new one doesn't have a camera, so what's the point?

Every cloud and all that

Really good feedback, good work guys

Wow, all your points are really excellent and not at all like all the usual points people make about each iPod update. I can really see why people would be disappointed at not being able to watch a video on a screen slightly bigger than a postage stamp. I'd really like to watch some of my favourite movies, like Badlands or The Thin Red Line, on this size screen. I'm pretty sure that was the type of screen size Terence Mallick intended those movies to be watched on.

All in all I'd say when the designers, engineers and marketing execs at Apple get wind of this comments thread they will feel really foolish and very embarrassed at all the mistakes they have made with this latest iPod update, and much like the iPhone exec, will probably all lose their jobs. I think most of you should also expect the to be inundated with requests if not desperate pleas, from Steve Jobs personally, to join their iPod development team to work with them to quickly design a new Nano after this debacle. Much like Tom Hanks character in Big when he pointed out how rubbish the new table ice hockey game was after he bumped into the owner of the toy company in FAO Schwarz. That's another of my favourite movies that I won't be able to watch on this crappy nano, on a crowded bus, during my 45 minute commute into work in morning, which is obviously how these movies were meant to be watched. Speaking of FAO Schwarz, have you seen the Apple store right in front of it? How rubbish is that lift in it? The one on the pneumatic piston? What an inefficient design compared to a regular lift eh? I'd say that shop will be closed by Christmas.

You only watch movies

And that's really the only video you ever watch? Really? Well, I mean good on you.

You know that, like, a 42 minute tv programme fits pretty well into a 45 minute bus journey right

I mean, just a suggestion. I know you're never going to buy it until apple repackage Lost in an iWatchOnABusJourney format at $10 an episode, but...

Tell you what, just do whatever you want. All everyone was saying was that no-one's gonna pay over a hundred quid for a glorified shuffle, and even if they do their kids aren't gonna thank them if they find this diminutive shitsicle in their stockings on christmas morning